GDPR is something that WILL affect almost every landlord in the UK. The new legislation comes into effect on 25th May 2018, by which time all landlords (and other businesses) will have to have registered with the ICO and have a GDPR Data Protection Policy. We have spent the past couple of months preparing for […]

Dear all, we currently have a tax return self assessment problem here. My husband and I bought a house in tenants in common which he is holding 1% and I am holding 99%. We are not quite sure what documents we need to submit when doing our self-tax assessment. 1. Do we have to submit […]

I hope you may be able to shed some light onto the following situation please. A family Discretionary Trust owns a house among its assets.  There are three Trustees and one of them lives in the house as their Principal Private Residence, rent free, and is also a Beneficiary of the Trust.  As that person […]

It has now been announced that the Tenants’ Fees Bill is now formally starting its progress through Parliament and is due to be implement in Spring 2019. An impact assessment of this ban on charging tenants fees has estimated it will cost letting agents between £77 and £274 million in the first year and lead […]

Ex-social worker and professional landlord of 30 years, Leslie-Ann Franklin, is facing having to sell the rental property she lives next door to in March, Cambridgeshire, after a complex case involving an extreme hoarder has left her in financial ruin.  With her story due to be aired on this week’s ‘Bad Tenants Rogue Landlords’ (Thursday […]

Axe The Tenant Tax was a campaign set up by landlords Chris Cooper and Steve Bolton. The main purpose of the campaign was to raise awareness of a new form of taxing businesses, but applied only to individual landlords. “Axe The Tenant Tax” group also raised funds for a Judicial Review of the tax reforms […]

Dear Chancellor, Thank you for your email asking for my support in the local government elections. Unfortunately having been a Conservative Party voter for 40 years I can no longer support it. Either locally or nationally. I can’t bring myself to vote Labour either. In fact I feel quite marginalised as a voter these days. […]

Thank you for your interest in the Section 24 Tax Reforms, which will result in:- Massive rent hikes (as proven when a softer version was introduced in Ireland and is now being reversed) Landlords selling their rental properties (causing homelessness for tenants) Less private sector investment into building more homes Section 24 Tax Reforms increases […]

I have a West Brom buy-to-let mortgage expiring (actually it has already expired on 1st April). I was part of the Property 118 action group that reclaimed thousands of pounds from them following their unlawful interest rates rises a few years ago. They have now exited the buy-to-let market and therefore have no product for […]

I’m about to offer my tenants a few hundred quid to voluntarily surrender their tenancy early. Can I legitimately deduct that money as a rental business expense, assuming that my tenants issue a written receipt for it? Thanks in advance. St Jims

What makes someone pay for a billboard advert to get their message across? Frustration!  That’s what. After having exhausted all other avenues to get my MP to listen and do something about the Government’s outrageous attack on the private rented sector (PRS), I decided to pay for a billboard. Although my MP, Penny Mordaunt certainly […]

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has today written to new Home Secretary Sajid Javid to outline its concerns regarding Right to Rent. In a letter to congratulate Mr Javid on his appointment as Home Secretary the NLA used the opportunity to press the former Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government head to review the […]

Hi all, whilst getting myself organised regarding the new GDPR regulations, it’s got me thinking about all the information I still hold for previous tenants. Eg, old tenancy agreements, notices etc and I still have details on DPS for previous deposits I have lodged. Does anyone have any ideas on how long we should be […]

If you think positive relationships and fair solutions need to be shared more in the media and elsewhere then please feel free to download a PDF version of this article via THIS LINK. You could save the PDF and email it to people (e.g. your MP and local Newspapers) or you could print it and […]

I would really appreciate any advice on this issue please.  A few years ago due to unemployment and a prolonged period without any rental income, I got into arrears with my service charge. Nothing too big £350. After resuming the monthly payments and contributed towards the arrears, I noticed discrepancies on my accounts. So I […]

In the never ending game of pass the housing parcel, James Brokenshire has been announced as the government’s new Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. This follows Amber Rudd’s resignation as Home Secretary and her replacement being the previous Housing and Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, who only took the Ministerial role in […]

In a knee-jerk response to the Windrush scandal the government has posted new Right to Rent guidance for Landlords and Letting agents below: Landlords: guidance on right to rent checks on undocumented Commonwealth citizens – Updated 25 April 2018 This information is for landlords wishing to rent private residential property in England to Commonwealth citizens […]

With the new EPC regulations requiring properties to be rated E or above there is a need for the the formulas used by EPC assessors to change regarding the use of Far Infrared heating. At the moment these panels are regarded the same as ordinary electric panels even though they are much more effective and […]

I am the leaseholder of a converted house (2 flats ) where the freeholder lives beneath my property. The clause in the lease states we each pay for 50% of the repairs to the whole property. I discovered damp in my property back in 2015 (large water stained area in my lounge where the chimney […]

Mixed partnership can be tax efficient for landlords who already pay higher rate tax, or will be pushed into  higher rate tax brackets so as a result of the Section 24 restrictions on finance cost relief. Consider a mixed partnership if:- you are currently a sole owner you jointly own some or all of your properties you […]

My wife and I established a partnership with HMRC in 2012 when we started a small business – which currently involves renting out two residential properties in Plymouth. Being retired our only other income is from UK pensions, so we are basic rate taxpayers. As my wife does the bulk of the work and made […]